Harmony in New Orleans: A Barbershop Quartet Sings On

Four men with four different careers create one sound on a Mid City evening just off Canal Street. Southern Tradition, a barbershop quartet, has been around since 1999. The group sings four-part harmony, an American vocal tradition that has existed for more than a century.

The members hold down different jobs outside the group. Karl Hansen is a doctor who sings bass. Hansen Eschette is a med tech who sings tenor. Joe Jacquat is a civil engineer who sings baritone. Johnnie Oufnac is the only actual barber in the quartet, and he sings lead.

Hansen said the main attribute of a barbershop quartet singer is to not be embarrassed and to just keep going. He also said being together for a long time helps the members harmonize and understand where the other person is going.

New Orleans has a long connection to this kind of singing. Zachary Matherne, an award-winning barbershop quartet singer who also performs with a larger vocal group called NOLA Vox, said the city is the nexus of American music at its most basic level and that a lot of it comes from New Orleans. Matherne noted that Louis Armstrong was in a vocal quartet before he ever started playing a horn. NOLA Vox also spawned The Dreamers, a coed barbershop quartet.

Some singers said female voices are a welcome addition to the traditionally male art form. Sarah Todd said it is a lot of fun to see where you stack up against somebody else. Matt Ridley said the group needs the ladies to hit the high notes, adding that they do have some gentlemen, but they are not as attractive.

The singers perform for love rather than money. New Orleans has hosted international competitions in the past, and Matherne said the most recent one in the city was in 1992 in the Superdome. These local groups join voices every couple of weeks. Ridley said when you learn the parts really well and it all comes together, it is really amazing.